Norfolk Southern Corporation’s (NS) safety train hosted 92 Atlanta area emergency responders for advanced training in safely handling potential rail incidents involving hazardous materials. The event was held at the Atlanta Amtrak station.
Representatives from a number of area agencies attended the event, including Georgia Department of Transportation HERO units, law enforcement officers from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Department, and fire and rescue personnel from Atlanta, Cobb County, DeKalb County, Griffin, Henry County, Smyrna, and Spalding County.
David Schoendorfer, NS' system manager hazardous materials, said, “The safety train is a mobile technical training center – a vocational school – for the continuing education of first responders and representatives of government agencies who support Norfolk Southern’s commitment to incident-free handling of hazardous materials. It’s a whistle-stop train that helps keep our communities safe.”
“Norfolk Southern has a great safety record, but in the unlikely event of a train derailment involving hazmat, we want to make sure the communities we serve are prepared,” added Schoendorfer. “We are focusing on areas where we have significant hazmat shipments. It’s a best business practice to help with preparedness.”
“This training provides continuing education and familiarization with processes and equipment Norfolk Southern uses,” stated Battalion Chief Michael Lewis of DeKalb County Fire & Rescue in metro Atlanta. “It helps us understand the potential hazards of working with railroad equipment, and it builds relationships that enable us to work as a team with Norfolk Southern in any kind of rail emergency situation we may encounter. For us to be able to come here locally and receive this training is awesome.”
The train is visiting 18 cities in 13 states during its inaugural tour this year. The train’s next stop will be in Chattanooga, Tenn., on October 25 through 27. At each location, emergency responders can choose from among three days of free training that includes instructor-led and hands-on learning. The train includes two boxcars converted into classrooms, four types of railroad tank cars used in transporting all types of chemicals, and two specially equipped flat cars.
To register in advance for training in Chattanooga or at other stops scheduled this year, visit the NS website and click on “Training” and “Download Invitation” near the bottom of the page.
The dedicated safety train is part of the NS “Operation Awareness and Response” initiative. To date, 1,515 emergency responders have received professional instruction on the train. In 2016, NS has trained nearly 4,000 local emergency responders throughout its operating territory, including instruction on the train and through other course offerings.